Cataglyphis fici, Salata & Kiyani & Minaei & Borowiec, 2021

Salata, Sebastian, Kiyani, Haniyeh, Minaei, Kambiz & Borowiec, Lech, 2021, Taxonomic review of the Cataglyphis livida complex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a description of a new species from Iran, ZooKeys 1010, pp. 117-131 : 117

Cataglyphis fici sp. nov. Figs 1-2 , 3, 4 , 5-6

Type material.

Holotype: Iran •worker, Fars, Estahban, 29.1331/54.389, 1730 m a.s.l., 16 Aug. 2019, H. Kiyani leg., LBC-IR00179, CASENT6006519 (MNHW); paratypes: 5 workers, the same data as holotype, CASENT6006520-CASENT6006524 (MNHW, MHNG); paratype: worker: the same data as holotype except LBC-IR00180, CASENT6006525 (MNHW); paratype: worker, the same data as holotype except 6 Sep. 2018 and LBC-IR00182, CASENT6006526 (MNHW).

Holotype worker labels: Iran, Fars, 1730 m | Estahban | 29.1331 / 54.389 | 16 VIII 2019, H. Kiyani || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-IR00179 || CASENT6006519.

Diagnosis.

Cataglyphis fici is a member of the Cataglyphis albicans group and can be separated from all species clustered in the cinnamomea and fortis complexes and most of members of the Cataglyphis albicans complex by yellow to yellowish red body coloration; while other species have body completely brown to black. From bicolored species of the Cataglyphis albicans complex it differs in smaller body size (WL <3 mm) and presence of infuscated to yellowish brown mid and hind legs. However, C. fici is most similar to species included in the C. livida complex and can be easily separated based on at least mid and hind legs partly to mostly infuscated to yellowish brown. In contrast, all remaining members of the C. livida complex have legs uniformly colored and always in the same shade as mesosoma and head. Additionally, C. fici differs from C. lutea , C. arenaria , C. argentata , C. aurata , and C. livida in gaster darker than head and mesosoma sometimes infuscated.

Description.

Worker (n = 8): Measurements. HL: 1.405 (1.29-1.54); HW: 1.325 (1.23-1.43); SL: 1.483 (1.36-1.59); PW: 0.897 (0.84-0.97); PRL: 0.737 (0.68-0.79); PRW: 0.595 (0.56-0.65); PTH: 0.383 (0.32-0.654); PTW: 0.360 (0.34-0.38); WL: 1.933 (1.81-2.09); HFL: 2.038 (1.83-2.24); CI: 1.060 (1.038-1.077); SI: 1.056 (1.032-1.072); PI: 1.065 (0.889-1.158); FI: 1.054 (1.036-1.111). Color. Head, mesosoma and petiolar scale from yellow to yellowish red, in the darkest specimens sides of mesonotum and propodeum indistinctly infuscated, gaster in the palest specimens mostly yellow with infuscated two apical sternites (Fig. 6 ), in dark specimens yellowish at base then gradually infuscated apically, with dark brown apical tergites and sternites (Fig. 5 ). Forelegs in the palest specimens completely yellow, mid and hind legs with brown femora and tibiae and yellowish tarsi, in dark specimens all legs at least partly infuscated. Usually fore coxa mostly brown with reddish spots of diffused borders laterally, fore femora mostly brown with yellowish apices, fore tibiae yellowish brown and fore tarsi yellowish; mid and hind femora dark brown, tibiae yellowish brown to brown, tarsi yellowish to yellowish brown (Figs 2 , 5 ). Antennal scape yellow, funicles in the palest specimens slightly darker than scape, yellowish basally and yellowish brown apically, in dark specimens only first segment of funiculus yellowish, remaining segments gradually yellowish brown to dark brown. Head. Subrectangular, approximately 1.05 × as long as wide, sides below eyes almost parallel, above eyes gently convex, occipital margin convex (Fig. 3 ). Anterior margin of the clypeus convex, with small median emargination, clypeal anterior margin with a row of short, white setae and additional six long, white setae, the longest as long as 0.7 × length of clypeus. Whole surface of clypeus densely microreticulate with shiny background, covered with very sparse and short, adpressed hairs. Eyes large, oval, approximately 1.4 × as long as wide. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes, interocular area without shiny line or carina and with a pair of long white setae. Antennal fossa shallow, microreticulate with shiny background. Whole head surface finely microreticulate with shiny background, occipital part of the head and are behind eyes with reduced sculpture and shinier, covered with extremely sparse, indistinct, adpressed hairs. Ocellar region with a pair of moderately long white setae, occipital part of head with 2-6 long, white erect setae, underside only with a pair of long, white setae close to lateral margin of head. Antennal scape moderately long, in frontal view almost straight, approximately 1.1 × as long as length of the head; thin, in apex only slightly and gradually widened; its base without tooth. Funiculus long, first funicle segment elongated, approximately 0.8 × as long as segments II and III combined, and 1.7 × as long as segment II (Fig. 3 ). Surface of scape densely microsculptured; shiny to indistinctly opalescent; covered with strong, moderately dense, decumbent setae. Mandibles rounded, only in basal part smooth and shiny, apical ¾ with deep grooves, surface shiny with several long yellow setae, masticatory margin with four4 large teeth. Mesosoma. Long, 2.1 × as long as wide; metanotal groove shallow (Fig. 2 ). Pronotum convex on sides (Fig. 1 ). In lateral view promesonotum slightly arched in profile; propodeum positioned lower than promesonotum, moderately convex in lateral view; propodeal spiracle strongly elongated and slit-shaped, approximately 4.2 × as long as wide (Fig. 2 ). Whole mesosoma opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation and shiny background; covered with extremely sparse and short adpressed microsetae, on sides of pro- and mesonotum appears almost hairless, only anterior part of pronotum, posterior angles of mesonotum and propodeum with sparse setosity. Pro- and mesonotum without erect setae, propodeum without erect setae or in its posterior part with one or two short, white, erect setae. Scale. In form of a short cuneiform node, in lateral view almost trapezoidal with very short peduncle. Anterior face close to base distinctly convex, posterior face slightly concave, top of scale in lateral view obtusely rounded, without erect setae (Fig. 4 ). In anterior and posterior view top margin of scale without emargination. Surface of petiole distinctly microreticulate and shiny. Gaster. With fine transverse microreticulation and striation and very shiny background. Whole surface of gaster with hardly visible, extremely short, sparse, adpressed microsetae, tergites I and II without erect setae, tergites III and IV with a pair of long white setae centrally, each gastral sternite with 2-4 long, white, erect setae. Legs. Dorsal and lateral surface of femora and tibiae covered with sparse, white adpressed setae. Ventral surface of femora and tibiae with rows of elongate, white, erect spiniform setae.

Biology.

Little known, workers were collected on the ground in fig orchard at altitude 1730 m.

Etymology.

The species name Cataglyphis fici is a noun in the genitive case named after the generic name of the fig tree, Ficus sp., the dominant plant in the type locality of this ant species.

Figures

Figures 1, 2. Holotype worker of Cataglyphis fici sp. nov. 1 dorsal 2 lateral. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 3, 4. Holotype worker of Cataglyphis fici sp. nov. 3 head 4 petiole Scale bars: 0.5 mm (4), 1 mm (3).

Figures 5, 6. Paratype workers of Cataglyphis fici sp. nov. 5 the darkest form 6 the palest form Scale bar: 1 mm.